Don’t Quit

 It’s usually those days when we work so hard and put forth a maximum amount of effort, and experience challenges, when we go through those moments of thinking… I didn’t quite accomplish what I wanted to today, the feelings of not being good enough, etc. When we first learned how to ride a bike, was it perfect the first time, second time, third time, every time? 

Draw Mickey Mouse

 Animation Academy

Brushing Teeth with Rapunzel

 

Value

 A sellers market can be somewhat frustrating for a buyer in some circumstances. For example, the buyer is looking for a good deal and the seller is looking to sell for the most possible money. As buyers, the best possible advice we’ve gotten is to wait until the market changes into a buyer’s market. When will that happen? We’ve been told that what usually happens is that the prices become too high for the buyers and then everyone stops buying. It looks like the gas prices have started to increase lately. Will the gas prices continue to rise? 

Real Estate Perspective

 In terms of real estate, perspective really matters. I was talking to the grandchild of a family friend recently and she was talking about staying with her Grandparents. They live on a golf course so she was telling me how they got to walk around the golf course and visit the pond on the golf course… “And that is all of their land!” she said. I’ve been looking at houses in that neighborhood and was reluctant to continue my search in that area until I spoke with her. She helped me understand the worth of that pricey HOA by sharing her perspective. 

Buying a House

 The housing market is interesting during these last two years or so, to say the least. Of course, I love real estate and am taking classes to get my license. The reason I love it… I’ve always been quite fond of looking at different houses, seeing possible potentialities with properties and so on. I remember this reoccurring dream I had as a kid where I walked into this house and it had tiny doors leading into different spaces that were somehow always empty and I had to crawl in order to get into them. It was my favorite place to be in my dreams. I remember dreaming of that house at least twice. 

The reality is, houses are priced high right now while interest is low. Is this a good time to buy because of the low interest rates? Some say to wait until the prices drop while the interest rates are still low (there should be a tiny amount of space in time where this will apparently happen). Some say this type of trend happens in the housing market about every 15 years. I’m constantly watching the housing market just because I love looking at different properties trying to figure out how one becomes a legend in real estate. Being consistent is what I’ve learned as a great factor. What is your real estate perspective? 

Lakeshore

 Today I decided to visit Lakeshore Learning Center to do a little bit of summer school shopping. I ended up with a mini classroom at home. I didn’t imagine myself buying Lakeshore Learning goods to decorate the kid’s spaces in the house, given I usually am an extremely picky decorator who likes for everything to be perfect. I am excited to have some of that happy magic from the classroom at home. It is imperfectly perfect. Not only do we have new decor for the kid’s spaces, but we also have a classroom type of environment to play and interact with one another. Thankfully, life is starting to look bright again. 

Off of Restriction

 

The Covid requirements have been lifted in California and here we sit at an Angels game where almost nobody except for the essential workers are wearing masks. Standing in line together, much closer than 6 feet apart and still, no masks. A packed stadium… The seats are so close, we can smell the people around us. 

I’m a little bit apprehensive about it all. My kids do not like wearing their masks at all and going back and forth with them helps me to be respectful of choices. Essential workers understandably wear their masks because they talk to so many people at the stadium. The essential workers really should wear their masks to stay protected. 

I looked at a post where people are dissing those who don’t want to wear masks. The theme was that people wear masks to be socially responsible. It was a picture of two people talking to each other and all of the tiny particles that fly into one another’s space in the process. Yeah, it probably is more socially responsible to wear a mask.

Buy Me Some Peanuts

 Baseball is a sport.

But it’s not just a sport. 

Baseball is a game, a series of games. 

Baseball is about being home and being away. 

We cheer for home runs. 

We cheer for brilliant plays. 

We root for the home team. After all, who wants to be shamed? 

Good sportsmanship and peaceable play is required. 

“Three strikes and you’re out!”

Baseball is not only a sport filled with games. 

Baseball is a common ground. 

Baseball is America’s favorite pastime. 

“You mean, I can play baseball and get paid for it?” My son asked. 

I nodded and thought to myself… yes, that’s what “free enterprise” is all about.

Happy Father’s Day

 Father’s Day is a special day of thanksgiving for the wonderful Fathers in the world. My Dad has given me so many words of wisdom and important insight over the course of my lifetime. 

“You have to step on the field and give it 110%. If you know you gave your 110%, you will be happy, whether you win or lose.” -My Dad talking to me before I stepped onto the soccer field for a game

I told my sons the other day I need to trim their fingernails before going to visit their Grandpa, otherwise I’d have to sit for a one hour lecture and questions about why I’m not taking care of my children. 

I remember the times my Dad made us go back outside and re-enter the house when we did not say hello to him when we walked in the door and saw him sitting there. “Hey Dad.” “What do you mean hey Dad? Hay is for horses.” 

The cold stare from across the table when he’d catch us crunching our chips too loudly or chewing with our mouth open. 

All of these little moments that add up to a lifetime of understanding and happiness are what makes life worth every moment. 

Now I am getting to enjoy watching the Father of my children creating these little moments that make memories worth keeping a lifetime of with our sons. The little sayings, the bursts of excitement, the dining places, the music, the laughter, the sports practice, the advice… 

I know people sometimes do not have the luxury of spending this type of time together with their parents. I am thankful. 

Happy Father’s Day! 

Thankyou

 It’s Friday night and the Dodgers won, the Clippers won, we got to eat at Olive Garden and we got some birthday shopping accomplished. The kids are sleeping peacefully. What more could I possibly ask for? 

Summer Routine

Kids thrive from routine. We are trying to get a sort of summer routine. What are your plans for the summer? 

Doors of a Beautiful Life

Sometimes in life we are faced with choices we have to sort of blindly go into. When we go to a wedding, or a sporting event, a party, a new job, etc. We arrive at the doors and we might know a little bit about the situation or circumstances. We might know a few people, we might have been to the place before, we might have done that sort of work already, etc. Because every day is a new day, we have different experiences every time. We create new memories every time. This is truly what it means to wake up every day knowing that it is brand new. What a wonderful opportunity it is to be alive. 

Sunrise

 

Βεαθτιφθλ Βεαψη

 

Reality Is

 The entire concept behind “The American Dream” is really an interesting one. 

Does “living the dream” include the same rules, guidelines, monetary system and borders as our reality?

 If America is an idea, who is American? 

“Let our reality be greater than our dreams.” 

The Necessary Dream Catcher

 It looks like my attempt to get what I wrote: 

A 

Ford, the American dream.

Failed.

Thank you for your careful consideration and it was great talking with the reps at Ford. 

“

Dear Suzanne, Thank you for writing to the Ford Motor Company. Yet2 is Ford's innovation partner, working closely with Ford experts to evaluate ideas received from outside the Company. If your idea was eligible for review per the Rules, Terms and Conditions of our website, evaluation has been based on many factors, but two major elements are: 1) improvement upon current technology, and 2) cost. Our technical specialists have reviewed your idea and concluded that Ford will not be investigating further development of your particular idea, nor acquiring any rights on your behalf. More information is available by reviewing your idea online. Ford  We wish you success and thank you for your interest in Ford Motor Company. Best Regards, Yet2 Innovation Submissions On Behalf of Ford Motor Company Ford New Ideas PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. This is an unmonitored email address and any replies will be deleted without review.

“

Forty

 It’s a breath of fresh air,

Like an old friend who walks back into your life. 

Being able to connect to those who help your spirit soar, 

Flying you into your greatest hopes and dreams. 

It’s a little bit of familiar along with some brand new. 

It’s a little bit of sugar and some spice.

It’s the point of relaxation, comfort and ease. 

A place of reflection and laughter,

Of giving and living. 

A thank you. 

Thirty Minutes Plus

 

Let the Children’s Laughter

 Let’s just say we’re in a neighborhood and each house in the neighborhood has it’s own land, divided with normal property lines, decorated with walls or white picket fences, etc. to show where the property lines end or begin. This is our example of the “wall”. Each neighbor knows their property lines in accordance to one another and those property lines are most definitely respected.

When the neighborhood kids play together, these boundaries are usually strengthened by the defining of these so called “walls”, aka, the union between the persons residing within those boundaries. Thus emerges the middle class. 

Set Goals

And we’re now into the second week of June and had some June gloom here in Southern California today. It was refreshing to be able to wear a sweater. What are your goals for this week? 

Revere

 You sit there beautifully, full of gracefully dulled colors, providing comfort and joy. 

I have nothing to put into you accept for my family, friends, relatives, moments, meals, time, effort, money, work, creations… so there’s tremendous potential with us is the view from here. 

You’re worth it. 

We look upon one another, in our perfect imperfections, with what each of us has to offer.

Maybe what we have to offer is not much to you. 

Maybe what we have to offer is exactly what you need. 

But you embody what we want and what we need, just the way you are. 

And this is all I have to offer. 

Friday Night Lull

 At the end of a busy week it’s always nice to have a Friday night lull. 

Routine Exercise

 During this pandemic we’ve all experienced, it was difficult to decide a number of activities in which to participate. I was reluctant to bring the kids to the park because I was not sure if we were supposed to or not. After a while, we learned that outdoor activities were great so I decided to start bringing them to the park again. When we started going to the park, I started seeing this group of senior citizens doing aerobics classes. They exercised right next to the playground, music blaring, focused and goal driven. 

I watched them while I sat at the benches watching the kids play and then I got up and started doing laps around the playground. I waved at them and thanked them for the inspiration and they threw their arms up in the air cheering for me. I walked my laps until they finished their class, and then the next time, and the next time. Now that walking has become a routine. 

This girl, a few weeks ago started walking laps and told me she saw me walking and decided to start walking laps too. Today she had a friend walking with her. I told her about the senior citizens, how the inspiration came from them. 

It makes me think, if we do something for ourselves, like joining an aerobics class, teaching an aerobics class, try to be healthier, happier, etc., that might be the best possible way to inspire others. Those senior citizens sure made a difference in my exercise routine and boy are my kids happy about our new found routine. 

Women

I wrote a marketing slogan for Ford a long time ago. It is currently one of my all time favorite slogans I’ve ever written for a car company. It belongs with Ford. Recently, we decided we better get a new car with more room since we are being blessed with a new addition to our family this October. We calculated how long our sons would be in their car seats and understand the right thing to do for them is to get a bigger car so they can stay in their car seats as they’re supposed to. 

We went to look at the new KIA Sorento and absolutely love that one. “Momento the Sorento”... I am a big fan of cars with panoramic sunroofs and that one has one. I’m pretty obsessed with the new Carnival from KIA though because of the option of making it into an 11 seater. I wasn’t planning on driving a bus anytime soon but that car is amazing. Anyway, we are trying to decide what new car we should get. I’m nuts about the new Ford “idea” (because the Ford marketing team directed me to submit it (the marketing slogan) as an idea), I really think I need a Ford. 

I just read an article via Forbes written by our Vice President, Kamala Harris, and was inspired to move forward with my free enterprise endeavors such as the Ford “idea”. Can’t wait to find out what happens next. 

Freedom

 I remember when I gave birth to my son. My Mom posted a picture of the baby fresh out of the womb and on the blanket next to him was a blood stain, from me, of course, giving birth to him. I looked at the picture of him from her perspective and loved it. She was so focused on him that she didn’t even care about the spot on the blanket.

Our second butterfly emerged from the cocoon today and I found it interesting that, with both butterflies emerged from the cocoon, there was, what looks like a blood stain. I never knew this is what happens when a butterfly also emerges from the cocoon. 

A few attempts of flapping it’s wings and it was off in flight, dancing around the garden. What a beautiful masterpiece the butterfly is. I’d never guess what it’d look like from looking at it as a caterpillar, but, the butterfly is truly a magnificent creation.